upcoming early release days
Our next early release is this upcoming Wednesday September 30th.
The dates for October are:
- October 14
- October 28
School dismisses at 1:30pm.
Upcoming field trip
Kindergarten - Thursday, October 1st: The Orchards at Red Barn
Cub Crawl Celebrations
Cub Crawl Celebrations:
After just one day our school raised over 10% of our whole-school goal and reached our 1st school goal!! Every student earned "rocket fuel" gum and we had fun with bubble blowing contests in the gym during lunchtime!
Our 2nd week's mission was to reach our goal of $15,500 and WE DID IT!! We celebrated this with an amazing celebration with a POP ROCK PARTY in the lunch room! We all wore glow sticks, ate pop rocks, and danced to some music, such a fun party to celebrate this goal being met!!
Our next mission is to reach $20,000 by September 29th, if that goal is met (we're getting close!!) every student gets SLIME! Thank you to all our our families for supporting our mission!!
cub crawl principal challenge
If our total Cub Crawl Goal of $22,000 is met, Principal Cotter will participate in an Intergalactic Space Challenge of our students choice! Submit your ideas here & if you have props, costumes, or supplies to donate that go along with your crazy ideas for me, please let us know!
cub crawl t-shirt contest winner
This years winner for "Best Design" and is going to have their artwork turned into our awesome Cub Crawl t-shirts is STELLA BADE! Congratulations on your amazing and creative artwork, we can't wait to see all of our cubs in this sweet design!
September Character Trait: kindness
Today was our first Character Trait recognition. 2 students from each class were celebrated for going above and beyond with showing kindness! We also drew 60 sixty students to receive slushies! We had 100s of tickets that students earned to draw from! Thanks to our parent volunteers for supporting our recognition efforts! And big shout out to our Student Council Officers that led the introduction of next month’s focus: Respect
Spirit Days
Our kids had a blast dressing up this week for Homecoming Spirit Days!
student council
This week, our student council election took place to select this years team! Every student took part in voting for this years officers, and all of the student council election videos were amazing it was so hard to chose! Congratulations goes to...
- President: Callen K.
- Vice President: Grace G.
- Treasurer: Connor C.
- Secretary: Harper G.
Recess Rams
Thanks to our parent volunteers that kicked off Recess Rams this past week!
- They shared "all the children were so kind and curious about who I was" and "great pretend play and kids working together in teams!"
Parents interested in hearing more about being a Recess Ram, please contact Mrs. Cotter at tcotter@rockfordschools.org or sign up here!
sunshine committee
Thanks to our awesome Parent Sunshine Committee & recruits for donating diapers, wipes, and a gift card to a Cannonsburg Family in need of some SUNSHINE!
Warm fuzzies
This tradition helps to support teachers and staff with special treats. Once or twice a month, families donate snacks, drinks, or meals to keep our wonderful Cannonsburg crew fueled for the day! Whether you are stocking the fridge with drinks, sending pizza, or putting together a fruit bar, the staff will thoroughly enjoy this special day. Sign up on your own or collaborate with others!
Sign up here: Warm Fuzzies
picture day!
Today is our Fall Picture Day! To order your student's pictures visit the link below:
Cannonsburg's picture day code is: Z3CWHDTVE
Cannonsburg Breakfast and lunch
The State of Michigan is once again providing FREE breakfast and lunch to Michigan students. You can view the menus for both using the links below.
Cannonsburg & District calendars
Please view the calendar below to keep up to date on all of our upcoming dates and events!
sign up to volunteer in many ways
Get Involved: Volunteer Opportunities
There are so many ways to make a difference at Cannonsburg Elementary! Whether you have a little time to give or want to get more involved, we have opportunities for everyone.
Slushie Days
Help make Slushie Days extra sweet for our Cubs!
Sign Up for Slushie Days
Warm & Fuzzies
Help spread a little warmth and kindness throughout our school community.
Sign Up for Warm & Fuzzies
Front Door & Greens Committee
Help keep our school entrance welcoming and looking great throughout the year.
Sign Up for Front Door & Greens
Cubs Cupboard
Help support this special resource for our Cannonsburg families.
Sign Up for Cubs Cupboard
Recess Rams
Help make recess fun, active, and positive for our Cubs!
Sign Up for Recess Rams
Popcorn Days
Help pop, package, and distribute a favorite treat for our students!
Sign Up for Popcorn Days
Mileage Club
Help our Cubs get moving and keep track of those miles during Mileage Club!
Sign Up for Mileage Club
Thank You, Cannonsburg Families!
Our PTC is powered by the amazing families who give their time, energy, and support to make Cannonsburg Elementary a special place for our Cubs. Thank you for being part of the mission!
FUNDS FOR FRIENDS
Join us on November 9, 2026 from 5 pm - 10 pm at The Score: 5301 Northland Drive.
Dine in or order carryout from The Score Restaurant to support Cannonsburg Elementary PTC.
10% of all sales will be donated to the organization on behalf of The Score.
IMPORTANT: please present this flyer to our host team for the organization's count.
holiday program
The Winter/Holiday program for all grades K-5 will be on Tuesday, December 1, 2026 this year! More details to come soon, but we are going to do 2 programs K-2 (6:00 p.m.) and 3-5 (7:00 p.m.).
Cannonsburg Cubs Spirit wear
Show your Cub Pride by purchasing Spirit Wear!
There are youth and adult sizes available in sweatshirts, tee shirt, and pullovers! Hats are available as well. Available NOW at:
Medication Drop-off
If your student(s) will need medication at school, drop them off to our office staff.
Everything you need to know about medication administration in our schools is linked below. Required documents are available via the link as well. Please remember these documents MUST be current to the 26/27 school year and signed by both a parent and physician.
Medication should be dropped off in its original container.
My Ride K-12 App
My Ride K-12 capabilities include the following:
- Stop location, assigned route, and scheduled pick up time.
- GPS geo-location push notifications, giving estimated time of bus arrival and information concerning bus status changes.
- Real time communication and messaging.
- Secure and confidential log in.
- Android/iOS app and web version available.
Cellphones and Smartwatches
We know that cell phones and smartwatches can be helpful for families and older students, especially after school. During the school day, however, these devices can become a distraction and take away from student learning. If your student brings a cell phone to school, we ask that it be turned off, kept in his or her locker, and not used during the school day. Please also avoid calling or texting your student on their device while they are at school. If you need to reach your student during the school day, our office is happy to help, or you can email your student’s teacher. Students who wear an Apple Watch or another smartwatch should also refrain from using the device to communicate during the school day. If a student needs to contact home because they are feeling ill or have a question about their end-of-day transportation or pick-up, they should speak with their classroom teacher. The teacher will help them determine the appropriate next steps. Our goal is to keep classrooms focused on learning and minimize distractions. Whenever possible, we encourage families to leave cell phones and smartwatches at home unless a student needs the device for communication after school.
Cannonsburg REMINDERS
Who do I call if my student will be absent or late to school?
- If your student will be absent or tardy, please call the attendance line 616-863-6344 option 1 OR email both the teacher AND Nicole Curtis at: ncurtis@rockfordschools.org or Diane Karasiewicz at: dkarasiewicz@rockfordschools.org
- If a student is ill, you must include the symptoms (or diagnosis) for our weekly health report to the Kent County Health Department.
What if my student is out sick?
Absences MUST be called into the office 616.863.6344 or emailed to the front office.
Please leave a message on our general voicemail box if you are calling after hours. Whether you are reporting an absence on our voicemail, the State of Michigan requires us to know the following:
- Student's name and teacher
- Reason for absence - if it is an illness we need to know the symptoms of the illness - vomiting, coughing, fever, cold, diarrhea, lice - whatever the reason may be.
Who do I notify if I have a dismissal change for my student(s)?
- We kindly request that there are no early pick-ups after 3:10 pm. Once the parent pick-up line starts to form out front, the office staff is busy with dismissal duties throughout the building.
- Please be sure to let us know of any dismissal changes PRIOR to 2:30 pm
- To contact us with changes, please call 616-863-6344 or email both the teacher AND Nicole Curtis at ncurtis@rockfordschools.org or Diane Karasiewicz at dkarasiewicz@rockfordschools, in the event the teacher doesn’t see the message prior to dismissal.
Where do I find parent communications?
- Our family newsletter and other updates are posted on the RPS website on the Cannonsburg page bi-weekly during the school year
- You can also check out the Cannonsburg PTC Facebook page
- Please always feel free to call or email the office with any questions
How do I set up or change busing for my student(s)?
- Please contact Transportation directly at 616-863-6328
- We also appreciate your help to support our drivers and remind your students of proper bus behavior
Important Contact Information:
Office/Attendance Line 616-863-6344
Nicole Curtis (office): ncurtis@rockfordschools.org
Diane Karasiewicz (office): dkarasiewicz@rockfordschools.org
Principal Cotter: tcotter@rockfordschools.org
Transportation Office: 616-863-6328
BAC/Child Care Office: 616-863-6560
STUDENT RESPONSE PROTOCOL
Dear Rockford Families,
Rockford Public Schools is deeply committed to the safety and security of our students, staff, and the community we serve. We view safety as a layered approach—built through community involvement, continued district critical incident training, staff and student engagement, family support, and the use of both physical and technological safeguards. At the heart of this work is strong relationship-building. By collaborating with students, families, staff, and law enforcement partners, we foster a climate of trust that allows every student to learn, grow, and thrive.
In response to new state law signed in January 2025, school districts were required to adopt standardized emergency responses and terminology. To meet this expectation, Rockford Public Schools is partnering with the Kent Intermediate School District and the I Love U Guys Foundation to align our protocols with best practices and provide education across our school community.
The I Love U Guys Foundation has developed the Standard Response Protocol (SRP)—an all hazards approach designed for urgent situations. The SRP includes developmentally appropriate lessons that classroom teachers will share with students from Preschool through 12th grade in the months ahead.
Students will learn about the following procedures this fall:
● September: Lockdown - Locks, Lights, Out of Sight- The protocol used to secure individual rooms and keep occupants quiet and in place
● October: Secure and Hold - Clear the hallways and remain in their area or room until the "All Clear" is announced
● November: Shelter and Evacuate - Shelter in appropriate areas or evacuate to the specified location
Families are encouraged to learn more about the Standard Response Protocol by visiting the I Love U Guys Foundation parent handout. Together, we can ensure our students are prepared, supported, and safe.
The safety of our students is our highest priority. By providing age-appropriate tools and clear procedures, we aim to give students confidence while fostering a strong sense of security in our schools. With your partnership, Rockford Public Schools will continue to build a culture of preparedness, care, and support so that every child can learn and thrive.
We would also like to direct you to the Rockford Public Schools Security Team page on the website for information on Michigan Secure Storage Law RPS Security. The secure storage law Public Act 17 of 2023 provides information on the requirements and penalties for storing and securing firearms. There is also helpful information from Project ChildSafe on responsible ownership and having a conversation with your children about gun safety. Please take the time to review this information and have conversations with your children about the Standard Response Protocols and gun safety.
STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Rockford Public Schools: School Assistance Program in partnership with REF and Pine Rest offers couseling services for family members.
Call 1-800-442-0809, press 1 and follow the prompts. Say "I have a SAP with Rockford Public Schools" or schedule online at: Pine Rest Scheduling
For complete details please follow the link to the School Assistance Program page:
Cannonsburg Elementary
4894 Sturgis St., Rockford, MI 49341
Phone: (616) 863-6344
Fax: (616) 863-6357
Teya Cotter - Principal
tcotter@rockfordschools.org
